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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Eggs - More Than Just a Breakfast Food

Did you know that the average person in North America receives only 2-3mg of lutein a day from his or her diet? Considering that our bodies cannot make lutein, as well as the fact that 6-10mg of lutein per day may aid in the prevention of AMD and cataracts, we need to include as many lutein-rich foods in our diet as possible.

Eggs provide the body with a bio-available form of lutein and are a staple in most people’s refrigerators. The amount of lutein in eggs is less than that in leafy greens, but the body absorbs the lutein in egg yolks more efficiently. Most of the egg’s nutrients are in the yolk, so you should eat the entire egg for full nutritional benefit. It’s time to bring eggs back in the spotlight as a healthful food.

Two studies from the Journal of Nutrition in 2006 showed that consumption of eggs increased serum lutein and zeaxanthin levels without negatively affecting serum lipid levels.(1,2) Many other studies confirm that healthy individuals can eat an egg a day without increasing their risk for heart disease or stroke.(3-7)

Omega-3 eggs are also a source of DHA. They are laid by hens that have been fed a diet high in flax and the hen converts the ALA in the flax into DHA.

Eat four eggs per week and avoid cooking eggs in high amounts of butter or vegetable oil to limit saturated and total fat intake.